The Business Council of Australia (BCA) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have launched the Australia-India Women’s Leadership Forum in New Delhi, India.The Australia India Women’s Leadership Forum will be co-chaired by Tata Consultancy Services’ Head of Scaleup Business Transformation Viji Murugesan and Deakin University’s Asia CEO Ravneet Pawha.
Ms Murugesan and Ms Pawha are Indian based, and their companies are also members of the Australia-India CEO Forum.
As partners in the Australia-India CEO Forum, BCA and CII aim to increase the involvement of women leaders in the partnership to strengthen connections, share insights and provide a platform for further engagement between companies and leaders.
“This Forum will bring together women leaders from both India and Australia to strengthen connections and provide a collaborative platform for growth and mentorship between the two nations,” Ms Murugesan said.”
“By creating a women leadership exchange program, which brings together women leaders from both countries to strengthen relationships and share insights, we are creating a vital opportunity for the development of future female leaders,” Ms Pawha said.
“The Forum will not only drive business outcomes but provide a platform for growing relationships to deepen the connection between our two countries,” Australia-India CEO Forum Director, Jodi McKay said.
“This is the first forum focussed specifically on harnessing the strength of women in the bilateral relationship.”
Confederation of Indian Industry’s Director General Chandrajit Banerjee added that supporting women leaders in the India-Australia relationship is a priority for CII.
“Women in the workplace are the driving force behind a growing economy and through the Australia-India Women’s Leadership Forum, we are advocating for an environment which promotes female leadership and better economic opportunities for women in both India and Australia,” Mr Banerjee said.
“We are delighted to join our Australian partners in working towards improving leadership and career opportunities for women.”
Business Council Chief Executive Bran Black said gender equality needs to be part of the fabric of the Australia-India CEO Forum and the recommendations it will put to both governments.
As well as signing the MoU with the co-chairs of the Australia-India Women’s Leadership Forum, Mr Banerjee and Mr Black discussed how both organisations would take forward the next stage of work for the CEO Forum.Since the CEO Forum was reconstituted last year during the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Mumbai, five joint working groups have been working on recommendations improve the economic relationship between India and Australia.
The 2024 CEO Forum will be held later this year where both the Indian and Australian Prime Ministers will consider the recommendations. The CEO Forum is co-chaired by Shemara Wikramanayake, Managing Director and CEO, Macquarie Group (Australia) and Dr Anish Shah, Managing Director and CEO, Mahindra Group (India).The specific Australia-India Women’s Leadership Forum has been subsequently established with support of leading employers and the largest businesses in both countries.
